George m



(No Model.)

G. M. HATHAWAY.

TROUSERS STRETGHER.

Patnted Sept. 25, 1894.

WIIN. EFL-Tas- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE M. HATI'IAW 'AY, OF WELLSBOROUGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THEIDEAL STRETGHER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

TROUSERS-STRETCH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 526,651, datedSeptember 25, 1894. Application filed November 25, 1893- Serlal No.491.982. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. HATHAWAY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Wellsborough, in the county of Tioga and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTrousers- Stretchers; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to improvements in trousers-stretchers; and itconsists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts,as will be hereinafter more fully described and specifically pointed outin the claim.

The principal object of the invention is to produce a simple andeffective device for effacing bagging at the knees and Wrinkles introusers.

A further object is to provide against the crimping or breaking of thetrousers at the fold 0r crease at or about the hem at the bottom of thelegs, and a still further object is to render such device capable ofbeing easily and quickly adjusted to the garment.

These objects are attained by means of the device illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 represents a garment havingmy improved device applied thereto, and Fig. 2, a top plan View of thestretcher-clamp, which is applied to the bottom of the trousers.

In the drawings-the letter a indicates a pair of trousers, properlyfolded, and b the clamp, which confines the bottom of said trousers at apoint just above the hem. This clamp consists of two flat bars or stripsland 2 respectively, constructed of any suitable material, hingedtogether at one end by a coiled-wire spring-hinge, 3, and adapted at theother end to be fastened by a coiled-wire spring-catch 4, pivoted in aslot made in the free end of one of the bars or strips. The spring-hingeand the spring-catch are of peculiar construction, each being composedof a single piece of wire, coiled, as shown, to

give the requisite spring. Both hinge and catch pass outward from theouter face of one bar to the outer face of the other bar.

The numeral 5 indicates a suitable bar,

which is adapted to support the waist-band in folded position, and isprovided with a tension to effectually remove all wrinkles.

from the garment and prevent tendency to bag at the knees.

By the use of my improved device, a person may be able to preserve theproper set of his trousers, and, at the same time maintain therein thefront and rear crease, which is a great desideratum with persons offashion.

To apply my stretcher, the trousers are first folded in at the front,bringing the first two suspender buttons together on the inside, andthen folded in at the back, bringing the first two rear suspenderbuttons together in the same manner. Thus manipulated the trousers willbe folded in the same manner as they are for display in a store. Thestretcher-clamp is then slipped over the bottom of both legs andfastened just above the hem, with the front and rear creased portionsreceived within the loop formed by the spring-hinge and spring-catch,respectively, so as to prevent crimping orbreaking 0f the trousers atthe crease or fold at that point, as would be the case if the bars orstrips were made sufficiently long to extend the entire Width of thelegs of the trousers. The garment is then suspended from a hook by meansof the chain, and the weight attached to give the proper tension.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- i A trousers stretcher,comprising a clamp for the bottoms of the trousers, consisting of twobars hinged together at one end by an extended spring-hinge, said hingepassing outward from the outer face of one bar to vent crimping orbreaking of the trousers at the outer face of the other bar, andfastened the fold or crease at that point. I at the other end by anextended spring-catch In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in ofsimilar construction, whereby said bottoms the presence of twowitnesses.

are clamped between the front and rear GEORGE M. HATHAWAY. creases, withthe creased portions received Witnesses: within the loop formed by thesaid spring- E. A. PAUL,

hinge and spring-catch, respectively, to pre- J. R. NOTTINGHAM.

